Never Change
by April3
Summary: [Takes place during FotR] Galadriel shares with Celeborn what happened after Frodo looked into her mirror and her feelings about their future.


Title: Never Change  
  
Characters: Galadriel and Celeborn  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own 'em, Tolkien does. Blah, blah, blah.  
  
Author's Note: This takes place in FotR shortly after Galadriel has show Frodo his mirror and she has refused the One Ring. I really like Galadriel and Celeborn as a couple, so that's pretty much why I wrote this. I found the obvious title for this whilst listening to Tori Amos. :]  
  
  
  
With a small solemn smile, Galadriel watched the Hobbits move back to their companions. Casting one last glance at her mirror, The White Lady walked back through the woods towards her room.  
  
She looked down at Nenya, still glowing faintly on her finger, and took comfort its glow and in the strength she had shown. She would return to the West when the One Ring made its way to Mordor with a light heart.  
  
With only a slight gentle rustling, she strode into her quarters eager to tell her husband the bittersweet news of her success.  
  
She shook her head as she saw by the gentle rise and fall of his chest and his soft hushed breathing that clearly he was asleep. She paused for a moment over him, smoothing his silver hair back from his forehead before shaking him.  
  
Celeborn shifted in his sleep with a sigh. She smiled and shook him some more until he rolled over and looked up at her questioningly. "Yes?"  
  
"Since you've woken up, surely, you wouldn't mind giving me a few mere moments of your time."  
  
Celeborn shook his head and sunk against his pillow. "Might I remind you who it was that woke me up? I waited for you for awhile, Galadriel, but sleep overcame me. My only hope is that it will do so again."  
  
She watched him close his eyes and frowned. "How can you possibly sleep when I'm talking to you?"  
  
"It is a question that I have pondered many a year, Galadriel."  
  
She crossed her arms. "Highly amusing, Celeborn. Very well, you shall sleep. After all, news of what happened after the Ringbearer saw my mirror would hardly interest you."  
  
He blinked and looked up at her. "Perhaps if you told me quickly."  
  
"I shall tell you no such thing, you are too tired to possibly listen."  
  
"I can manage for a moment or two."  
  
"Nay, how can I rob my poor husband of his sleep?"  
  
"Galadriel."  
  
She offered him a victorious smile before sitting down on the edge of the bed. He sat up and moved closer to her.  
  
"You wouldn't deny me this information, would you?" He asked gently resting a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Oh, I suppose not. You'd only be all the more gloomy tomorrow if I refrained." Celeborn chuckled and ran a hand through her hair. "You are far too eager to tell me, Galadriel, I doubt I would be the gloomy one if you were to wait even that long."  
  
"Because I have more to tell you than simply that the strength of young Frodo's resolve is now all the firmer. He worries about his home, about the future of this world."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yes, I sense that his companions worry about the same, though one will only provide him with more hardship then help."  
  
Celeborn nodded, fairly certain he knew of whom she spoke. He did not harbor ill-will towards the Men that accompanied the Ringbearer, but one of them almost stank of unhealthy desperation and desire.  
  
"That does not surprise you, but this might," Galadriel continued. "For he offered the Ring to me."  
  
There was really no use hiding the look of astonishment that passed over the Lord of Lorien's features. "To you?"  
  
He shook his head and smiled, "Well, then it is for no small matter that you woke me up. Yet, I am not wrong in thinking you would be here had you not refused his offer?"  
  
Galadriel smiled and patted his hand, "You are not wrong, I do not deny that I was tempted, but I would rather remain Galadriel."  
  
"As would I, for I have grown quite fond of her," He added placing her hand in his.  
  
He watched her gaze down at their hands, at her hands, at Nenya in the silence that followed.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
She looked up at him with troubled eyes. "I cannot help but wonder what would have happened had I accepted. What would have happened then? What would you have thought of me if my own strength had failed?"  
  
There was another short silence.  
  
"I can think of no way to answer that question, Galadriel. I have never doubted your strength. I know with infinite certainty that you would have never taken the Ring."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Because of my love for you, of how well I know you, of how well we know each other. Had I been offered the Ring, there would be room for doubt, but I wasn't."  
  
Galadriel kissed his cheek. "I do not think you would have taken the Ring."  
  
"Why did you not take it?"  
  
She leaned against him and smiled. "At the heart of my decision was my love for you and the love you have for me. For it is when I thought of the type of Queen I would become, of what I would end up doing to this world, I thought of the ways our love would have been transformed.  
  
It is true that worlds and people change, it is true that you and I have changed, but to stop loving you and to look into the eyes of the one I love and not see my true self there is unthinkable."  
  
Celeborn nodded minutely, squeezing her hand gently unable to give her a reply.  
  
She glanced up at him. "So I will sail to the Undying Lands. When the time comes, will you do the same?"  
  
"If it please Galadriel."  
  
"It pleases me greatly though I think your time may not come as soon as mine."  
  
"Even then, I won't change. Indeed, sometimes I fear that I've forgotten how."  
  
She nodded, knowing full well that change has always troubled her husband more than it had ever troubled herself. He was more like the trees he loved, surrounded by change but for the most part unaffected.  
  
Indeed despite her sorrow, a part of her knew this change was meant to be. A part of her felt joy at the end and beginning of the new world. For the world would be passed onto the Race of Men. She could only wish that some of the lessons the Elves had learned might offer something to them.  
  
"Any more news to impart?"  
  
Galadriel blinked as Celeborn covered his mouth stifling a yawn. "After all that I shared, you are still tired?"  
  
"I said I would never change," he retorted with a charming smile before sinking back onto their bed.  
  
"Never let it be said that Celeborn made false claims."  
  
"And will you sleep as well, Galadriel?"  
  
"By and by, I shall."  
  
With that assurance, he turned on his side and went back asleep. She sat at the end of the bed marveling at how unconcerned he was by the future, wishing she could have the same convictions. So she kept watch torn between watching him and the stars outside their window.  
  
It wasn't too long before she too fell asleep, dreaming of the Sea. 


End file.
